In my first year at Bishop’s, I studied a lot at my apartment, but the monotony wasn’t inspiring me to be productive. I felt like I needed a change of pace to study efficiently. The only issue was that I didn’t know many good places to study on campus, which is why I ended up working in my room.
So, when the first midterm season hit, I knew I needed to find some new place to concentrate and get work done. I experimented; and, discovering some good places to study, I found myself becoming more productive. So, I’m going to share a few of those with you, but – full disclosure – I’m not going to give away my best spots. You’ll have to find those for yourself.
5. The Library Learning Commons
No list of study spots is complete without the Library Learning Commons (LLC) It’s number five on my list. For me, my favourite memory of studying in the library comes from my first semester when my friend and I were studying for a final exam. We booked a study room well in advance and had started working, but the eerie silence of the library made us uneasy. We spent a good 15 minutes searching for the perfect fireplace video to put up on the big screen in the room. Once we had found our desired fireplace, the crackling of the logs and the soft glow of the fire coming from the screen was just what we needed to get us back on track. Putting up a fireplace on the computers while we study has become a staple of our study sessions and no exam season has gone by without a YouTube fireplace video to keep us on track.
4. Bishop’s University Sports Complex
The Bishop’s University Sports Complex (commonly referred to as the sports plex) is where I go if I want a place to study with some hustle and bustle of people around. Compared to the library, which is very quiet and serious, the sports plex is more active and the seating options reflect this. There are many couches and tables to talk with friends as well as some spots that give you some privacy to work uninterrupted. To study effectively at the sports plex, you have to choose your hours carefully. At the peak, around 11 am to 2 pm on weekdays, it gets too busy to concentrate. The best time to work at the Sports Plex is the early morning, around 7:30 to 8 am when the sun shines through the grand windows and warms you up as you sip on your coffee. At this time, it’s pretty quiet, but the ambient sound of people starting their day is just the right amount of background noise to keep me concentrated and productive.
3. The Quad
When the skies are clear and the sun shines in the months of early fall and spring, students gather in the quad to soak in some sun and study. I remember fondly sitting at one of the picnic tables underneath the canopy of the trees bordering the quad working for hours trying to finish an essay. By sitting near the Quad breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the sunny day instead of staying indoors to work on my assignment, I found the experience way less stressful and substantially more productive. The possibility of working outdoors on sunny days is part of the beauty of Bishop’s University since the campus has so many installations to enjoy nature like the picnic tables, the white gazebo near the library, and the purple lawn chairs riddled around campus.
2. Bus Stop Café
The underrated “Bus Stop café,” on the first floor of the Hamilton has a cute little seating area for a coffee and studying between classes. A great memory I have of The Bus Stop Café was when one of my English courses finished early and I had 15 minutes before my next class with no idea what to do. 15 minutes is too short to get a snack at Dewies, yet long enough to feel like you are wasting time if you aren’t doing anything. On that day, The Bus Stop Café offered an ideal place to sit and be productive before heading to my next class. Since it is conveniently in between most of the academic buildings, it’s also a great place to run into some friends and chat a little.
Also, in my opinion, the Bus Stop Café has the best coffee on campus so that is always where I prefer to stop before class.
1. The Molson Arts building
You may be surprised at number one on my list but I will die on this hill. The Molson Arts building is the perfect blend of silence, aesthetic beauty, and comfort. In my opinion, working on an assignment, looking around and seeing beautiful art made by students, is one of the best environments to study in. I found this spot on my own in my first semester at Bishop’s when I was looking for a place to do some reading. Heading inside, I found two comfortable-looking chairs on the second floor. The rest is history.
So, there you go. The best tip I can offer you as you start your journey at Bishop’s is to explore the campus and all of its buildings and find a place for yourself where you feel comfortable. This list is obviously biased by my own experiences – and I haven’t given away all my gems here – but if it can inspire you to seek out a special place on your own and take advantage of our beautiful campus, it will have done its job.
Happy studying!
